


Hell0_W0rld

by HonestCriminal



Series: Mockingjay [2]
Category: Mockingjay series
Genre: Blood, Creepy, Gore, Horror, Kidnapped, Multi, Murder Mystery, POV First Person, Serial Killer, Thriller
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 08:06:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17321171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HonestCriminal/pseuds/HonestCriminal
Summary: When a reporter falls in love with a psychotic murdering maniac, things can become very complicated; especially when that reporter is being held hostage by the serial killer she investigated and fell in love with. Yet this time, it will be different for Mockingjay, as kidnapping an unnamed reporter won't be the only type of capturing on his list.





	1. Momentary

 "Hello world. ...Hello world.  _Fuck_. I just can't get it right. Okay... Okay, Let's try again. Hello world. Some of you may recognize me. Ha, who am I kiddin'? You all fuckin' recognize  _this_  face by now, don't ya? It's everywhere. I'm flattered, really. All those posts on social media, my face on television; it's excitin'! Seems   you   can't   get   enough   of   me." Jay held an iPhone up and pointed it in his direction, smirking throughout the whole time he was filming.

He wasn't as I expected but he definitely lived up to his name. Mocking me and the world every chance he would get. Every time I said something, anything, it would just get blown up in my face. But... He wasn't  _angry_. That's what made him different from the others. His intention was never to kill. He wasn't frustrated with anything... or  _anyone_.

It was July 17th 2016, I was doing my regular thing. Reporting from yet another murder scene; these murders would happen almost every fortnight. Some people were scared and some were excited by the idea that a slaughtering maniac lurks in the streets. Been happening all over London now. It was March 29th 2011 when the police had finally got an ID on who was behind them. James Freeman. He's always been my favourite thing to report. Mostly   because   no   one really   knows   what happened to him. Him and his best friend, Michael Maiden just disappeared one day. He didn't have any parents to ask and his friends were stoners, so they weren't much of a help with the investigation. I'm rambling again, sorry... I mean, this is my job but at the same time - it's James' story that makes me enjoy doing this the most.

"Do we have an ID on the victim?" I asked an officer as I stood behind yellow police tape but also trying to get a better view of the scene.

"No. Stay behind the tape please." He spoke, huffing.

I watched as yet another person on a stretcher with a blue sheet covering their face rolls out of the house. I pointed my camera towards the medics and back at the house, blood covering the windows. This had been happening for years now but people, the media, everyone stills gets hysterical over it. It's quite amazing.

I placed my camera in a small bag that hung over my shoulder as a couple of police cars left. I sighed and smiled to myself. That was bad, I know. But the thought of a person who could get away with murder for so long is so interesting to me. Of course, the other famous ones are interesting enough but no one has ever really gotten a clean shot of them, right? Most CCTV footage has always bad camera angles or bad cameras all together. But James... Everyone   knows   his   face. He's been the spotlight of cameras ever since this all started. His face is on many posters, Youtube, online threads and forums. Most of the police and FBI agents dealing with James' case suspect this is   some   kind   of   joke he plays. He wants to stick out, be infamous. He's not serious about anything; besides wanting to kill at least.

I walked down the street as I got to my house, opening the front door and walking inside. I placed my bag on a desk near the door and walk into the living room, slumping down on the couch and stretching slightly. I look towards my phone and I see I've got a new message. I grab it and turn it on, "Hi, this is Riley, I'm out right now, so leave a message after the tone." My voice spoke on the phone before the message came up. Beep. "Riley, it's Nathan. I've got reports on today's murder. Victim's name is Melissa McSmith. I'll drop by tonight at 6:00 with the rest of the info!"

I smiled as the message finished. That's Nathan; my intern. He's good at what he does and I needed assistance. He's a little weirded out by how much James interests me, I can tell, but he brushes it off. Nathan's great.

Got three hours til 6:00, I could just chill ‘til then but... Damn, I have an itch in my brain that I just need to scratch. I look under the coffee table, scrambling for a file. "Ah-ha!" I smiled as I grabbed it. I leaned back in my chair and began looking through it. "James Freeman. 25 years old. Mixed race. 6'1''. Smoker. Last seen at a party the day before he disappeared." I'm weird, _I know_. I mean, I just think if I read through this enough, something will finally pop out to me that will tell me a little more about him. But who am I kidding? Anything on Jay before turning eighteen seems to be non existent. Most assume his name may just be an alias; but that’s just a theory until we really know the truth. Honestly, he’s practically a ghost. "Where   the   hell   are   you,   Mockingjay?" I asked, flicking through the large file.

_Knock knock knock._

"Coming!" I called, getting up from my seat and making my way towards the door. I opened it and there stood Nathan. His dark brown hair was a little more messy than usual and he had a cut on his cheek. "What the hell happened to you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Some guy jumped me." Nathan groaned, holding his face slightly and a bag in his other hand. "But forget about that! Look at what I found!" Nathan grinned and walked inside, rummaging through the bag.

I frowned and crossed my arms, "Nathan, your cheek is still bleeding, I'll go get-"

Nathan then pulled out a black leather glove from the bag. It had obvious blood stains on it and it looked a little frayed. "You'll never guess where I found this."

"Nathan, is that what I think it is?!" I asked. My eyes lit up immediately. I grabbed the glove from his hand and looked down at it. "It's... It's exactly the same..." I looked up at Nathan in disbelief. "Where did you find this?!"

"On my way home, I noticed a blood trail on the ground. At first I thought it was left over from the crime scene earlier, so I carried on walking." Nathan spoke. "But that's when I stopped and saw the glove, just lying on the ground."

I looked down at the glove that laid in my hands. "This is amazing... But damn it, there's no way to tell if it's really his other than going to the police."

"And if it _is_ his, the cops will just put it in evidence forever." Nathan replied. "What're you gunna do, Riley?"

I paused and sighed slightly, "we're gunna have to go out on a limb here." I spoke up, "Let's just assume it's actually Mockingjay's glove. He wears his gloves all the time, in every CCTV shot, every video he's in - he's always wearing them." I frowned and bit my bottom lip, trying to think. "So, why would it just be left on the ground?"

This was extraordinary. Not only is this something that could possibly belong to Mockingjay himself but it could possibly be his glove. A part from his weapon of choice; his hammer, these are his trademark. He always wears them.  _Every_ _single video_. _Every_ _single_ _photo_. So, what could've made him just drop it?

"Riley, what if he comes to get it back?" Nathan spoke up.

My eyes widened. _Shit_. I never thought about that. "...You're right." I replied, "but I'm still not taking it to the police. Nathan, can you please keep this is a secret for now?"

Nathan gulped and nodded. "As long as this secret doesn't get us killed."

I grabbed my bag from the counter and placed the glove in a small pocket inside the bag. "Nathan, come in and lock the door."

Nathan nodded and walked in, locking the door behind him. I walked into the living room and Nathan followed. I sat down on the couch. Silent.

"...What's wrong? I thought you'd be a little more excited." Nathan spoke up as he sat down next to me.

I pursed my lips and shook my head. "Hmm... It's alright. It's just..." I let out a sigh, "there's no way of knowing for sure."

"What other person leaves a glove lying on the ground covered in blood?" Nathan replied. "Jay is the only person crazy enough to own something like this."

I frowned when he said the word ' _crazy_ '. I'm not sure why. Damn it... I can't say anything. If I keep this up, Nathan will definitely quit soon. If he knew I kept defending this psychotic murderer... If he knew I... ... _Is something wrong with me?_

I shrugged, "I suppose." I slumped back in my seat and looked over at Nathan who was looking through Jay's file.

"You know, I never did ask you..." Nathan spoke up as he turned a page in the large file.

"What?" I asked.

"Do you think it's true?" Nathan asked as he flicked another page. "I mean, do you think Jay murdered Michael?"

"I don't know. Michael's parents said that Michael spent all of his time with Jay." I replied. "The way they said it... It was like he was inlove with him or something."

Nathan laughed, "that's funny!"

"Hm..?" I asked.

Nathan turned to me, "wait, you're serious? Jay had a girlfriend."

"So?" I spoke as I sat up in my seat. "That doesn't stop someone from being inlove with another person. ...Maybe Jay didn't even realize it."

Nathan raised his eyebrows at me and turned back to the paper in his hands. "Maybe you're right, Riley. But that still doesn't answer the question... Michael's blood covered the crime scene but his body was missing."

"It's not a new theory but maybe Jay took it." I replied. "I mean... If they were as close as Michael's parents say they were." I paused as I had brief and sudden idea. "Maybe... it was an accident?"

"Ha, what? You don't just accidentally murder someone. Not like _that_ at least."

"But... what if he did." I spoke up as I straightened my posture completely in my seat. "That's why there was so much blood but no body..." I smiled and turned to Nathan.

Nathan placed the papers on the coffee table in front of us, "people have been saying for years that Jay probably took the body and dumped it somewhere. But the accident part... Haven't heard that one."

"Momentary insanity." I spoke up as my eyes widened.

"What?" Nathan asked, turning to me.

Before I could repeat myself, I saw Nathan's eyes go completely hollow as they drifted above my head. I quickly turned around and before being knocked out; I saw him. I saw  _Jay_.


	2. Not So Different

  
  
"Uggnn..." I opened my eyes slightly; waking up to the sound of a ball-point pen scribbling on a sheet of paper. "N... Nathan...?" I asked, my eyes still focusing on my surroundings. As my eyesight finally became clear, I saw a man sitting on a desk chair in front of a desk about 10 feet away from me in the corner of the room. The second I noticed the white hair, I knew who it was. My chest became tight; I had trouble breathing. I let out a harsh cough and gawked as blood splattered out of my mouth and dribbled down my lip. I felt sick for some reason...

Jay turned around in the chair and looked down at me, smirking. "Oh, you're awake."

I tried to move but I couldn't. My hands were tied behind a pole... Maybe one of those beams that would support a ceiling. "Where...?"

Jay walked closer to me and bent down in front of me. He didn't look any different from his photos that had been taken nearly a decade ago. Had he aged at all since then? Even through all those videos and photos online, Jay looked exactly how I pictured him. He was wearing black jeans and a yellow reflective vest. James' right eye was bright blue yet his missing and closed eye hid behind the rest of his silver bangs.

"You found it." He spoke, smiling at me. His voice was dark; husky. Like a smokers, yet there was still something smooth and alluring about it. It was hard to describe.

"Huh?!" My eyes widened as he smiled at me.

He stood up and placed his glove on his hand. "My glove." He spoke. "You actually found it."

I went to open my mouth to say something but nothing came out. I was speechless. The only thing I could breathe was; "was that... a tattoo?"

"Heh..." Jay looked down at me and then to his inner wrist that was usually covered by his glove. He pulled his glove back a bit to reveal a star tattoo. There was wording on the inside but I couldn't make out what it said. "That's all you have to say?" He chuckled slightly.

My head was throbbing, what the hell did he hit me with...? "... ** _Nathan?!_** " I shouted, darting my eyes around the room. But no sight of him. "Where's Nathan!?"

"If you keep shoutin', you're gunna really hurt your head." Jay replied in a calm tone.

I felt a lump in my throat as tears began to prick my eyes. I closed my eyes quickly and shook them away. I glanced up at the man in front of me. "James...” I paused, frowning, “Freeman..."

"A reporter that refers to me as my real name? You're a first, Riley Clark." Jay smirked as he played with a pen in his fingers.

My eyes widened, "how... how do you know my name...!?" Shit! He must've read my journal! No! ...SHIT, _NO._

"Oh, that's right." Jay knelt down in front of me, a smirk still painted across his face. "I know all about the secret you just couldn't bring yourself to tell Nathan. Or... anyone for that matter."

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" I splattered. I had no idea what to say. What could I do? I couldn't move, I only had my words... and they were definitely slipping.

"You're not that different, you know." His smirk then dropped instantly. "You think all the ones with the pretty faces that have some sort of weird feelings for someone of my standards is goin' to let you free so easily?" Jay grinned as he let out a slight chuckle. "Heh... Heheheh... You've got it all fuckin' wrong." He spoke darkly. "I've heard it a thousand times. ' _You're different_.', ' _Oh, but I love_   _you_.', ' _FUCK ME, JAY._ '" He smirked and violently grabbed my chin. "I wonder what you're gunna say."

I stayed silent for a moment, searching his face. I frowned. "Are you saying... Are you saying you feel no other emotions other then your urge to kill?" I asked.

"I don't have an _urge_ to _kill_. I _mess_ with people cause I _feel_ like it. I feel things just like you and everybody else. I still wanna be happy like you. Fuck like you. Feel love like you. All those emotions that make us feel alive." He smirked and shrugged causally, "I just feel more alive when there's a person in my basement. Especially someone... like _you_."

My eyes widened slightly, "like... me?"

"The types of people who are obsessed with me. Who will go out of their fuckin' way to defend me." He grinned, looking into my eyes. "I see all those comments online. The ones that act like I'm some pretty boy in the magazines. Someone to... _fantasize_ about. So... am I really the one who should be bein' judged on my sanity?"

"I just... s-sympathize with you for some reason..." I spoke. What the fuck was I saying?! I had to stop talking right away but my mouth just wouldn't stop. I just kept going. "I'm... I'm a reporter after all!" I spoke a little louder this time, "I... like to learn new things and..." I turned away slightly, "you were my favourite is all."

"I wonder what Nathan would think of you sayin' all this." Jay exclaimed. He pushed my face away and got up, walking over towards his desk again. He flicked a light switch on and Nathan could be easily seen from the other end of the room with a gag over his mouth. "Nathan? Wanna pass some judgement on me too?" Jay spoke up, gesturing his hand towards Nathan.

"NATHAN!" I shouted, turning towards him.

He just sat there staring at me. Like he didn't even know me.

"Nathan, wake up! It's me! Are you alright?!" I called out. But no answer. He just sat there; staring at me. Was he... dead?

"You were right, you know, Riley Clark." Jay spoke up, turning to me. "It was an accident."

"What did you do to Nathan!?" I shouted.

"I may or may not have hit him a little too hard." He replied. A half-ass smiled appeared on his face. He was enjoying this. "It's a shame, really. I don't usually go for twos but damn, would've been fun to mess with both of you together."

"F-Fuck you!" I shouted.

"Fuck me?" Jay laughed, " _Fuck me!?_ "

I darted my head back slightly, almost hitting the pole behind me. "Before you kill me, I deserve answers!"

"You...  ** _deserve_** answers?" He asked. He sat down in the desk chair, his legs wrapping around the back of the chair and smiled at me. "Hm... _Ok_. Let me ask you a question first. What do you think the meanin' of life is, Red...?"

"W-What're you talking about?!" I asked with a loud voice.

"I think the meanin' a life is to do what makes you happiest." Jay spoke. It was like he wasn't even listening to me... "Life is a very... very precious thing."

"T-Then why?! Why do you kill all these people?! Why did you kill your colleagues?! Your best friend?!" I shouted. I knew I was going to die so I didn't care what I said. My heart was already racing.

"I  don't  kill." Jay replied bluntly, throwing his arms out in a shrug. "I simply bash the fuckin' shit out of people for my own pleasure. It's not my fault they die." He paused, looking directly into my eyes, "...Mikey taught me that."

"Mikey... Michael!?" I spoke up.

Jay stood up and grabbed a blood soaked sledgehammer that laid on the desk behind him. "It's a pity." He spoke up, twisting the end of the hammer on the ground. He lifted it up over his head. "You're not as different as you make yourself out to be."

" ** _WHERE DID YOU PUT MICHAEL?!_** " I shouted, holding my eyes shut tightly.

"Hahah! Do you hear yourself?" Jay laughed, dropping the sledgehammer to the ground. He bent down and grabbed my shoulders, pulling me up onto my feet. "You're so damn naive. You sound just like I did." His grip on my arms got tighter as he kept pulling me up, my feet barely touching the ground now.

"What're to you talking about...?" I mumbled.

"Mike... is  _dead_." He smirked, letting go of me. I lost my balance completely and fell to the ground, hitting my back on the pole on the way down. I winced as I attempted to look up at Jay. "You're tied up here and yet you're still tryin' to be a reporter... How despicable."

My heart was racing like crazy. I couldn't pay attention to what he was saying, just the thought of him almost killing me just then... it made me feel like I was going to go insane.

"So... Where is he...?" I asked, my breaths becoming shorter with each word.

"Answer me this." Jay spoke up, looking down at me. "Why the fuck do you even care? You're not a reporter now. You're tied up in my little fun house. The place where I control everythin' that happens to you." A devious smirk appeared on his face. "Look around you... In here, you belong to me and me alone."

I quickly held my hands together, attempting to stop myself from shaking. I gulped and looked up at him. "You're not that different either."

Jay grabbed the sledgehammer again and lunged it down at me, hitting the ground right between my legs.

"Ah!" I yelped, bringing my legs closer to me.

"Go on." He smirked as he glared me through his bangs. "Say somethin' else."

I frowned and sat up more promptly. "You've gone on and on about how boring I am but look at yourself!" I shouted. The words in my mouth just kept slipping off my tongue like hot butter on toast. "You kill because it's fun! Wow, so original! Do you want a fucking gold star!? You're... nothing but a copycat! You don't deserve the fame that people give you!" I spat. I looked up at him with an angry expression on my face. I was scared but now  I  was  scared   _and_ pissed  off.

Jay raised an eyebrow, the side of his mouth cocking slightly into a smirk. He bent down in front of me, looking into my eyes. Before I could say anything else, his mouth collided with mine. I gasped and tried closing my mouth but he held me in place, his lips still moving against mine; trying to stop me from resisting. His   mouth   tasted   like   mint   and   strong   coffee. My eyes widened as he continued to kiss me. He moved his gloved hands to the back of my head; I could feel his fingers intertwining with my red hair. His kiss somewhat softened and his grip loosened, moving his hand to the nape of my neck. I closed my eyes and for a brief moment, I thought it felt...  _nice_.

He pulled his lips away from mine, looking into my eyes as my mouth hung open slightly. "You've got guts." He almost... smiled. "I like that."

What... just happened?


	3. A Shell Of Reality

As Jay stood up, my eyes stayed focused into a distance void. Just staring at the dusty desk in front of me. Why did he...  _kiss me_?

"Ok, enough of this bullshit." Jay exclaimed, turning away from me. "I have some unfinished business to attend to." He grabbed the sledgehammer off the ground and walked past me, the sound of the hammer's metal scratching along the floor just like nails on a chalkboard. "Cya later." A loud slam of a door echoed from behind me.

Silence.

I just sat there. I was too scared and confused to even pay attention to what he was doing or saying. There's no way this is happening...

It had been at least two hours since Jay left but it felt like days; weeks even. My butt was starting to hurt from sitting on the concrete for so long. My legs felt numb, I needed to stand up. I frowned and turned my attention to Nathan. He was completely lifeless. He just sat there, his hands tied behind his back and a blood soaked gag over his mouth. His eyes were left open; hollow. I should've listened to you. "I'm sorry, Nathan..." I mumbled. I felt my lip quiver as tears began to roll down my cheeks. " _I'm sorry_."

Another hour went by and Jay had come back with a man over his right shoulder and an even more blood soaked sledgehammer in his left hand. He walked past me, completely ignoring my being there and dropped the man to the ground. I saw his head hit the concrete, more blood splattering on the ground around my feet.

"Jay..." I murmured.

He continued to ignore me like what happened earlier never happened at all. "Mon... ster..." The man by my feet mumbled, blood spilling from his mouth.

"Shut up." Jay spoke bluntly as he sat down on the desk, looking down at both of us. His face was a lot colder now. A completely different aura came from him and it was dark. ...Very dark.

I couldn't bring myself to speak, it was like I was frozen in fear. I still had the taste of coffee on my mouth from when Jay kissed me. Was this... really the same person from earlier?

"Why..." The man mumbled. "Melissa..."

"Oh, so now you want her?" Jay groaned, kicking the man, making him roll over onto his back.

"Stop it!" I shouted.

Jay grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled my body up the pole, "do you see this?" He asked. "This is what you've been writin' about all these years,  _princess_."

I gulped and looked down at the man. I furrowed my brow as a I felt a lump in my throat like it was my fault. "I'm just a journalist... What do you want from someone like me...?"

Jay smirked and let go of my shirt. My legs almost gave way but I managed to keep standing. "Heh..." He chuckled as he turned to the man on the ground by my feet. "How would you describe that, Riley? How would you write this down, huh?"

The man's head just leaked more and more blood. I didn't even know if he was alive anymore at this point. "Just let me go..." I spoke softly, whimpers in my breath.

Jay grabbed the man by the back of his collar and threw him a little to the side, the man now leaning up against the leg of the desk.

”Ack!” The man coughed out blood, the crimson thick goo dripping from his lips.

” ** _Darren_**.” Jay spoke up, turning to the man.

The man was breathing heavily, though the sound of his lungs sounded wheezy.

”Want to explain to my friend here how I found you?” Jay asked, gesturing to me.

”Ass... hole...” The man managed to speak.

”Well, yea, that's _sort of_ true, you are an asshole. Tell her   the   whole   story, man.” Jay turned to him, running his finger under the man’s chin, the blood spilling from his lips now staining Jay’s leather gloves.  
  
"Still lived... better than you." The man replied, his voice stern yet weak.  
  
"I may just be a serial killer, Darren." Jay glared down at the man, "but unlike you, definitely not a _snake_."

The man went to open his mouth until the wheezing in his lungs subsided. He was dead.

”That’s a shame.” Jay muttered. He sighed and stood up, looking down at me.

My eye's widened. If I knew that it was this horrible... I would've never... My lip began to quiver and a tear rolled down my cheek. "What made you do all this, Jay...?" I mumbled. " _Why_...?"

"Do you want the long version or the short version because either way it's gunna take a couple'a hours." He replied, wiping some blood off of his face with his gloved hand.

My eyes quickly widened in realization. "Melissa...!" I spoke out loud. "...He knew the victim from yesterday?" I asked, looking towards Jay.

"He was married to her, actually."

" **What?!** " I shouted.

Jay looked to the man and back to me, “he was fuckin' another girl in his wife's bed yesterday. Naughty, naughty.” He bit his bottom lip and shook his head, "All happened a little fast and I got the wife instead of him. Now, d'you really think I was gunna let him go after that? Especially when that son of a bitch made me kill his wife instead of him." He chuckled, "no. So, I found him tonight. In a club. Different woman this time." He dug into the man's pocket and pulled out a ring. A wedding ring. "Bastard, isn't he?"

My eyes widened in shock, I had no reason to believe what Jay just said... but at the same time, I had no reason not to believe it. "You need to stop this, Jay..." I mumbled. I tried to believe that any person could be redeemed some way or another. At least I tried to. ...I really tried to.

" _Oooh, stop this, Jay! Stop bashin' people's heads in, Jay!_ " He mocked me, raising his dark voice slightly.

I frowned and slowly but surely an angry expression fueled to my face. "I want to you tell me  **truth**." I demanded; my voice still rather shaky. "Where did you put Michael?! A-And what about that stupid hammer in your head in all those earlier videos, huh?! T-That's gotta be some stupid prank! All that blood from the construction site..." I grit my teeth before staring right at him with an irritated expression, "You should be dead! There's absolutely no logical explanation as to why you're breathing right now!"

Jay lifted his hand up and grabbed the very same hammer from his back pocket in his jeans. "Oh." he spoke calmly, holding the hammer in his hand. "You mean  _this_?" He tapped it against the palm on his hand a little. "Oh, it's not a prank, sweetheart." He placed the hammer on the table and he ruffled the side of his hair slightly, and I could see a what looked like, large scar under his texture hair.

My mouth hung completely open; I was speechless. "You... The hammer... in your head... It..."

He twirled the hammer in his hand and slammed it on the table. "You're pretty stupid for someone who considers them self smart, Riley." He sighed and let out a small chuckle. "I'm not surprised though."

I frowned, looking up at him. "What's that supposed to mean...?"

"You know exactly what it means." He groaned, turning away from me. "You're just like everyone else who's obsessed with me. You think _you're_ gunna be the one to make me have a change of heart. You think _you’re_ the one who'll make me go all goo-goo eyes at you.” A heavy growl came from his throat as he turned back to me and started walking closer. "I can prove to you right here and now that Mockingjay is beyond your reasonin'."

"I don't believe that." I replied.

Jay reached for his hammer on the table and lifted it up. "Oh, I'll _make_ you believe it, sugar."

I closed my eyes tightly, waiting for a bloody death.

_Knock... Knock._

Jay paused and looked towards the door. "Who could that be.”

I opened one eye and glanced up at Jay who was looking towards the door behind me.

"I'll save it for next time." Jay spoke, throwing his hammer behind him, landing on the floor in front of me. He walked behind me; I heard him walk up the steps and open the door.

_..._

"Now, who the fuck was that?" Jay groaned. After that the door slammed and all I heard was muffled talking from outside.

I sighed and looked down. I can't believe... he almost killed me. But... who was outside? I frowned slightly a small wave of thought of another person killing with him.  _Killing_... with him. ...Why am I even lying to myself anymore? Who am I kidding? I'm scared shitless of him but at the same time... I-

"Hey." A voice echoed from in front of me, it was hollow and flat but sounded friendly, "Time to go."

I glanced up.

_Holy shit._

...

**_Michael._ **


	4. Red Lips, Bloody Hands

_"Michael_...!?" I spoke up, glancing up at the man standing in front of me.

He bent down in front of me and began fiddling with the chains behind me that kept me tied to the pole. After a few seconds, the chains fell off and my hands were free.

"You helped me...?" I asked, "why?"

He gently held my hand and helped me stand up, my legs still shaking like crazy. "Leave before he comes back." He replied.

The white in his eyes were pure black, like a demon you would only see in your nightmares. But he was helping me; reassuring me. I didn't understand why but I was extremely thankful.

I looked up at him as he was taller than me but still a little shorter than Jay. "Thanks, Michael..."

He stood there with a completely blood soaked shirt. Had he... killed someone too? "Your shirt..." I spoke up, "who-"

"Leave. Now." He interrupted.

I frowned and watched him - his facial expression stayed the same; blank and emotionless. I sighed and nodded. "Okay. Thank you again." I turned and glanced towards the steps that led to a door to the outside.

"..." As I turned around, I noticed he was sitting on the desk, just staring at me; his hands cupping each other on his lap.

I made my way up the steps and towards the door. I paused for a second before turning back to see him still sitting there.  _Does Jay know he's even here...?_ I placed my hand on the handle of the door but I couldn't bring myself to open it. I didn't want to leave. _Not yet._

"Michael..." I spoke up, looking down at the small room. "How will you explain this to him?"

"What?" He replied with a stern voice.

I furrowed my brows, I didn't understand any of this to be honest. My eyes wandered over Michael's body, his clothes were completely stained with blood. I knew I had to leave but...

"What... about Nathan?" I asked.

Michael sighed and turned his head to me, his golden eyes staring right back at mine. "Just fucking  _leave._ "

I frowned slightly, not really sure how to reply. I gulped, "I just asked you a questio-"

" _Fuck sakes._ " Michael hissed. "You're free, you can go, why haven't you left yet?"

My eyes widened, I was shocked. This emotionless man had turned into an angry one very quickly. I was scared to answer but now I'm just more curious. I walked down the steps and stood a few feet away from him. "What are you going to tell Jay when he comes back and finds I'm not here...?" I asked. "Let me at least take him." I exclaimed, turning to Nathan.

There was a small silence but I felt some kind of annoyed vibe coming off him. “What happened to you...?” I asked.

“Stop trying to snoop at everything you can get your grimy reporter hands on and just  _leave._ " Michael stood up from the desk, walking closer to me.

My breath hitched slightly. "I just..." I stopped myself. I didn't want to cause any more trouble. "I'll leave." I turned away, "...I'm not just some reporter." I furrowed my brows, “My name... My  name  is  Riley.” I felt I should let him know. I don’t know why, honestly. I wanted to remember who I was in case this was my last time remembering anything. Maybe I just wanted to hear myself  say  it  out  loud.

"Oh, I  _know_  who you are." He spoke.

"What?" I frowned, turning my head to him.

"You're like the others. You have some weird thing for Jay, huh? Well, listen, I have one thing to say to you." He walked, a not-so-subtle irritated expression on his face. "You're not special."

I frowned and blinking a few times as I tried to comprehend what he was saying; not only did Michael  _save me_  but now he's acting as if it's  _my_  fault that Jay kidnapped me in the first place! “Jay kidnapped  _me._ It's not my fault I'm in here!" I spoke louder.

"Why did you keep his glove then?" He paused before turning to look me in the eyes, "...Why did you _kiss_ him?"

My eyes widened. So... It was true. Michael really did have feelings for him?! Whatever the situation, I wasn't going to back down. Not now.

"I didn't kiss him." I replied. I paused for a second and crossed my arms, “but so what if I did? What's it to you?"

"You think I saved some two-bit journalist from the kindness of my heart?" He exclaimed, “You're nothing to me. I didn't get you out of those chains for  _you._ "

"Then why did you bother saving me in the first place?!” I asked, throwing my arms out slightly, I wanted to know what was going on. The reporter inside me was still screaming out to know the truth. Maybe it was just Riley Clark that wanted to know now. Before I leave, hell, before I die, I needed to know. “You   love   him,   don’t   you?!” I asked, finally asking what I wanted to this whole time.

He shoved me to the ground, HARD. A dark aura emanating from him now. “I let you go because I have someone doesn’t deserve the satisfaction of killing you but... now you’ve just pissed me off!”

"W-What...?"

"How do you- What gives you the fucking right to ask me that?!" Mike growled, his tone of voice grew more angry. 

"Why... don't you just tell him..." I asked. My hands rested on the concrete below me, he really did shove me hard. What an asshole.

"What...?!" He asked.

"Jay... Tell him how you feel..." I spoke, a serious expression on my face. I kept trying to push myself off the ground but his shove was really quite violent and I sprained my ankle now. Shit.

  
  
~  
  
 _"You think you're the one that's gunna change me?"_

_~_

"Maybe... you're the one that can help him." I added. "Tell him." I finally managed to push myself up off the ground, my food limping slightly now though.

"You don't get to tell me what to do!" He hissed. "You have  _no_  idea who I am! You think he  _likes_  you?! You've got to be kidding me." He groaned, pushing me away from him. The push wasn't as hard but I fell down again, wincing as I hit the concrete floor. "Tch... Why do _you_ even like him anyway?!"

"Ugh..." I looked up at him and scoffed, " _why do you?!_ "

Michael's brown eyes widened. He turned away and stayed silent for a minute. A smile grew to his face. "Heh... Fine." He sighed, "I'll let him kill you then,  _Riley._ "

He turned on his navy blue converse shoes and walked off behind me and up the steps to the door.

“W-Wait!” I tried to pull myself up, falling hard like that really messed my ankle up. I managed to finally stand up, limping slightly; I look to him; “Michael, wait! Please, I have your-!”

He walked out and closed the door behind him. Complete silence filled the darkened basement.

”...”

I shifted my eyes to the hammer that laid on the ground in front of me. I slowly bent down and picked it up. The metal end was scratched all over and completely covered in blood all the way to the handle. I had every reason to believe that this blood wasn't just his. " _How could someone survive something like this...?_ "

I sighed and stood up, the hammer still in my hands.

...

" _No. I'm not taking it._ "

I dropped it onto the concrete ground and walked over towards the steps and to the door. I placed the hand on the door handle and turned it. "...Huh?" It wouldn't open. "Michael locked it..." I sighed. I began throwing my body against the door to open it. "Open up, stupid door!" I groaned and sighed. There's no way of getting out without one of them being here to open it. I turned towards the pole that I was recently chained to. There's no way I could keep doing this. This whole ordeal is making me going insane myself.

I closed my eyes and sighed. "Okay." I spoke out loud. I walked back down the stairs and sat in front of the pole, wrapping my hands behind my back once again.

" _I'll get out by myself._ "


	5. Guts

It had been an hour since Michael had left and at least two hours since Jay had left too. I turned my attention back over to Nathan; I really  _desperately_  just wanted to pick him up and walk out of this complete mess. ...But I couldn't. Not yet at least. I sighed and looked over at the hammer that lay on the floor in front of my feet. " _Jay..._ "

I then heard the door slam behind me. I quickly sat up straight, trying to keep my posture as confident as possible - ready for my escape.

Jay walked past me and over to the desk, slamming his bloody hands on the table. He turned to me and went to open his mouth but stopped; a smirk growing in place of his unspoken words instead.

I stayed silent. I was honestly too afraid to say anything. He could kill me at any given moment. “...”

”Cozy down there?” He asked, looking down at me. “I’m assumin’ so.”

"What...?" I asked, frowning.

He sighed and turned away from me. "Jeez, he even did that now, huh?” He sighed. "I’ve only got myself to blame for this one.” He mumbled quickly under his breath.

My eyes widened slightly. " _Why is he acting different all of a sudden?_ " I thought. I took in a deep breath and gulped. "I-I, uh..." I spoke up. "I don't know what to say."

Jay turned to me, a blank expression on his face. “What? Not goin’ to leave?”

Had he... noticed I’m not tied down? He would’ve said by now, right? I paused before replying, “wha- what’re you talking about?” I wanted to ask about Michael but I was too afraid to. He was pretty unpredictable.  _They both were._

"Heh... Wow. Alright.” Jay chuckled slightly, turning his body and glancing down at me. He shrugged and smirked playfully; "You probably wouldn’t mind then. ...Let’s test it, shall we?”

"W-What?!" I spoke up. "I-I don't really... have any idea what you're talking about, Jay. Honestly,..." I paused and looked down at the hammer on the floor. "...If you're going to kill me, wouldn't you've done that by now?"

I heard Jay's boots on the ground slowly coming closer to me. "Like I said," I looked up and he was standing right in front of me. "you're fun to toy with."

"What's that supposed to mean...?" I asked.

He knelled down in front of me, his face inches away from mine. He'd been drinking a lot more coffee, I could smell it on his breath. He pulled a screwdriver from his pocket as a smirk grew to his lips. "Ya know..." He spoke. "There's a lot more use to these things than  people  think."

He paused again as his eyes wandered to the screwdriver, "I'm not goin' to make you bleed just yet."

I was too afraid to speak. He could say that, but...  _I don't believe it._

Jay quickly shoved the screwdriver's plastic end in my mouth, that devious smirk still painted across his face. "Like I said, I'm just like everyone else. I don't just wanna kill all the time, y'know."

I had to run out now, but I couldn't. I was frozen in my place. My heart was pounding like crazy. "It’s moments like these that I like to test how far people will go." Jay's hand began to wander up my skirt, his gloved fingers tracing against my thigh. His hand traced behind me and he felt that I was no longer tied down. "But, oh, Red, you must really like me to actually stay here, huh?" He whispered into my ear. My eyes widened as I shoved him away from me and grabbed the hammer off the ground in one swift motion. I quickly stood up, pointing the hammer at him.

"W-What did you think you were doing?! Holy shit, Jay!"

Jay chuckled, "thought you would’ve lasted longer than that. I’m disappointed.”

“Y-You're gunna move... r-right now." I spoke louder, holding the hammer out in front of me.

Jay stepped closer to me, "ok, give me it."

" ** _I said move!_** " I hissed.

I shook my head, still pointing the hammer at him. Jay sighed and grabbed the end of it, pulling me closer to him. Our eyes locking instantly. "And I said,  _give me it_."

Jay pulled it violently from my hands and pushed me to the ground. I felt my phone fall from my pocket and onto the floor next to me. "I told you before, Riley," Jay spoke up, walking closer to me. I couldn't move, I hit my head on the floor and even my vision was starting to fade. I saw him raise the hammer; " **You've got guts.** "

**_Thud._ **


	6. Little Fish

"Hey, you're awake, huh? I was so fuckin' worried about you, Riley."

I slowly opened my eyes; my vision doubled slightly. "Wha...?"

"She almost died back there."

"I'll stay 'ere and make sure she's alright."

"Call me if she wakes up."

"Aight."

I blinked; trying to focus my eyes on my surroundings. I laid on a bed, staring up at a familiar ceiling. "I'm... in my bedroom...?" I asked. I turned to see Jay faced away from me. "What're you...?" My head is spinning... Am I... going to pass out?

"Hey." Jay turned to face me, I felt his hand pat me on my forehead. "Are you alright?"

My eyes were barely open at this point anymore, I couldn't really see what was happening. I looked up and Jay was standing next to my bed side. "Ja...mes...?"

"You took quite a hit there, you know." He looked down and smiled at me.

"What...?" My vision finally cleared and I sat up in my bed. "Why am I here?"

"What're you talkin' about? You know exactly where you are." He exclaimed.

I frowned and looked around me, "s-shit... My head..." I winced and quickly placed my palm on my forehead. This bastard...

He smiled at me and reached for my hand. I quickly slapped him away and ran to the door, trying to open it. "Okay, I won't write about you anymore! Is that what you want, huh?!" I grabbed the door handle, trying to pry it open; only to start hitting my shoulder against it.

"What the fuck are you talkin' about, Riley?" He laughed, walking over to me.

"Please, don't..." I closed my eyes. "I don't wanna die!"

"I told you before, Riley... I don't-"

My eyes shot open. Was that... all a stupid fucking dream?!

" **-kill people.** "

My stomach turned inside out when I heard his voice again. It was just a dream and Jay... he wasn't who I imagined. The person who I investigated all this years... The person I was... shit, dare I say,  _in love_  with.

"You knew- You knew I wasn't tied up, didn't you...?" I asked, my lip twitching slightly.

"What'd you take me for? An  _idiot_?" He chuckled, "Of course, I knew you weren't tied up. I knew you'd kick me off you." He paused slightly, "or, maybe... I thought you wouldn't. You're the one in love with a murderer here."

"I was..." I coughed and turned to him. He was standing by the bed just like in my dream. "I was wrong about you."

"Congratu-fuckin-lations, do you want a sticker, sweetheart?" Jay smiled, flicking my nose.

"I always thought people like you could be redeemed some way or another..." I spoke up. "I just never thought... it would be  _you_  to be the first person to find out about my creepy fucking obsession."

"Everyone's obsessed with somethin', Red." Jay spoke up, crossing his arms. "We grow too attached to things, right? I mean, I wasn't always like _this_ , right?" He chuckled slightly.

"I understand..." My eyes drifted to Jay, a serious expression on my face. "S-Something... made you kill... and now you can't stop. At least... I get that now."

"Oh, you  _understand_ _?_ " He laughed, "You think you know everythin' when you don't know jack shit, Riley. Face it; you're just a little fish in a big,  _big_  fuckin' pond."

I paused and sighed; "you... never dropped it, did you...?"

"Nope!" Jay grinned, fiddling with the leather glove on his hand. "You-"

**_Ting!_ **

"My- My phone...?" I mumbled, turning to it on the desk.

Jay turned around and picked it up. He paused before a devious smirk grew to his face; "500,000 views, huh?" Jay laughed. "Heh." He smirked and turned to me. He ran his tongue against the top of his teeth; "you're right. This  _was_  fun, Riley."

"W-What're you doing, Jay?" I asked, my eyes widening slightly.

Jay lifted the phone up higher, "Hello world. ...Hello world.  _Fuck._  I just can't get it right. Okay...  _Okay,_  Let's try again. Hello world. Some of you may recognize me. Ha, who am I kiddin'? You all fuckin' recognize  _this_  face by now, don't ya? It's everywhere. I'm flattered, really. All those posts on social media, my face on television; it's exciting! Seems you can't get enough of me."

"Jay, no, wait!" I shouted. "You can't!"

Jay grinned. "900,000, boy, you all  _really_  get a kick outta this like me, don't ya?"

"Shut it off!" I shouted.

Jay started digging around in his pocket. He smirked and turned to me with the same screwdriver in his hand. "I should find another place to stick this to shut you up."

My eyes widened slightly. "They'll find you here, Jay... Do you really want that?!"

"Bargaining now?" Jay laughed, twirling the screwdriver in his fingers.

"T-They will find you, you know! And then you'll get shoved in prison! You don't want that kind of-  **HMMM**!"

Jay shoved the plastic end of the screwdriver in my mouth again and held it there. "You talk too much."

"HMMMN!" I tried to talk as much as I could but nothing came out; I was completely helpless.

There's got to be something I can do! Think, Riley, think!

**_...!_ **

 

_~_

_"I know all about that secret you just couldn't bring yourself to tell Nathan. Or... anyone for that matter."_  
  
~  


 

As I watched him continue to talk into the camera, his grip somewhat loosened and I finally took my chance. I threw my small now weaker body about as much as I could, pushing the screwdriver out of my mouth with my tongue as hard as I could. I turned my head away, coughing slightly.  
  
"Oh, strong now, are w-" Jay went to speak.  
  
" ** _Jay Freeman's father is-!_** "  
  
I could see Jay's face completely change. It wasn't playful anymore. No smirk or even a smile lingered on his lips now. He switched off the live stream and dropped the phone to the floor in one swift motion before grabbing at my ripped white shirt. There was a knife cutting small silence as he glared down at me. Mockingjay was now... angry. "How...?" He finally spoke up, his voice was stern and heavy now.  
  
"Your past! Your family!" I yelled in his face now, "Mike knows- _I know everything!_ "  
  
" _How?_ " He asked again, his dark voice deeper than usual, a serious look in his bright blue eye.  
  
"It doesn't matter."

"Famous last words..." He mumbled as he got closer to me.

I gulped. "The world will find out just like I did."

"Heh..." Jay held the screwdriver up just above my head. "But... little fish...  _Remember?_ "

████████████████████████████████████████

 ** _[_**  "What happened? Was it him?"

_"Yeah."_

"Who was it this time?"

_"Riley Clark. Nathan García."_

"Do you know the cause of death?"

_"Watch it."_

"You mean...?"

_"Yeah._

_He recorded it."_   ** _]_**


End file.
